Stefanik asks DOJ to intervene in legal battle against Green Light Law

1of2Congresswoman Elise Stefanik meets with constituents in a town-hall style event held at Moreau Community Center on Thursday, April 5, 2018 in South Glens Falls, N.Y. (Lori Van Buren/Times Union)Lori Van Buren2of2Protesters with the Green Light Campaign to get driver licenses for undocumented immigrants, take part in a rally in West Capitol Park on Tuesday, March 12, 2019, in Albany, N.Y. New York currently bars immigrants from obtaining a license due to their immigration status. (Will Waldron/Times Union)Will Waldron

ALBANY — U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, along with five other New York congressional Republicans, asked the Department of Justice on Thursday to investigate the constitutionality of the state's controversial law allowing undocumented immigrants to apply for driver's licenses.

In a letter to U.S. Attorney General William Barr, the members assailed the legislation known as the Green Light Law, which is set to go into effect in December. They called on Barr to support legal action against the measure, which they say conflicts with federal immigration law.

"I'm very concerned with New York's controversial and ill-advised Green Light Law," Stefanik, of Schuylerville, said in a release. "This reckless legislation, which a majority of New Yorkers oppose, will hamper efforts to enforce federal immigration laws and has the potential to enable rampant voter fraud in our state."

Of a dozen states with similar laws, "New York's is among the least restrictive and least monitored," the release states.

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo signed the legislation in June and almost immediately faced a wave of opposition from state GOP members, who fear the measure will undermine the implementation of federal immigration law and perhaps encourage undocumented immigrants to register to vote.

The authors also claimed that many state county clerks who run DMV offices are worried about the law's consequences, and some have stated that they won't comply with the measure. Earlier this month, GOP lawmakers introduced legislation that would shield DMV workers who decline to follow the law, noting that the governor has the authority to remove elected county clerks.

"It is critical the legal concerns regarding the Green Light Law are resolved before the law takes full effect," the Republicans wrote.

Since Cuomo signed the legislation, Erie and Rensselaer counties have both filed complaints in federal court aiming to block the law. Niagara County filed a suit against the state last month raising concerns about possible voter fraud.

Cayla Harris is based at the Capitol in Albany covering politics for the Times Union. She graduated in May 2019 from the George Washington University, where she studied journalism and Spanish. During her time in D.C., she interned for the Hearst Washington bureau. Reach her at cayla.harris@timesunion.com